Improved machine foe cubbing wells



JAMES A. SUTHERLAZND, 0F ELMWOGD, ILLINOIS,

Leners Pittem No. 76,672, ma No 14, 1868.

IMPBOVED MAGHINE POB.` GURBING WELLS.

(dite Sitchin: wenn tu in .time irticts atent mit uniting grit at tige time.'

Be it known that I, JAMES A. SUTIHERLAND, of Elmwood, in the county of'Peo'ria, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Machine for Curbin'g Wells; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description oi the construction and operation of theA same, reference being had tothe annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is au elevation of a section of the curbing. Figure 2 is a plan. Figure 3 is a section showing the mode o-i' using the curbing. Figure 4 is a plan showing the mode of expanding a section oi` the curbing. Figure 5 is a view oi" the staves Ona larger scale; and .Figure 6 is a view oi the mode of usinr the curbing, and removingr the same.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of well-curbing, iirst, which occupies less space than any curbing heretofore in general use;A second, which may be easily removed as the well is walled up'r4 third, which may be contracted or expanded, and therefore successfully used in wells which are not, throurlziout,I of uniform diameter; and, fourth, which may be applied to old wells, rendering the same perfectly safe to be entered and cleaned out or'repaired.

Cbnstructicn. 4

I construct my curbing in sections. I make Astraight stares, A B, of any required length, of convenient Width, and of sulicient thickness to secure thc'requisite strength. I make straps of iron, a a, b b 5 b, che., of length equal to the width of the staves, curved to it the convexity of the inner side of the sanie,'and provided with loops at the ends. I rivet one of the straps across a stave, A', near each end of the same. Irivet two of the straps l Zi b b across another stave, B, atsuch distances from each end of the same, andfrom each other, as to form, with a pin or bolt putthrough the loops of the straps upon both staves, a complete hinge-joint, c.

To the pair of staves thus united, I connect other pairs, by means oi' the hinge-joints e c c,l&c.l, until the whole series is of suiicient length to form a hollow cylinder, when bent so as to bring the edges oi' the end staves together, of a diameter nearly equal to that of the well which is to be Curbed. i

IIlle staves at the ends of the series correspond to those composing the pairs described above, one, B, having two' pairs of straps, i5 I1 Zi Z1, and the other, A, having two straps,l e e. I provide a movable bolt to be used in the loops upon the outer side of the stave B, and prolong the straps-e c until thesarne will extend beyond the odge ot the stave B, whcnthe section is expanded to the required extent. -I make holes in the straps e e, and provide thc movable pin or stopf, thus completing the section. f

I construct an expanding-apparatus, consisting of two levers G G, attened at the extremities ofthe short orme, the curved bar i, with the holes, and the pin y, as represented in 5g. 4.

Operation. v

The curbing having been made in sections, as above described, and thc well sunk to such a depth as to require curbing, I fold up or contract a section, so that it will pass into the well, and lower the same down to the point where it is required. Having placed the section in the proper position, I thrust the short arms of the levers G G between the end-stares A and I3, and expand the hollow cylinder by forcing the long arms ofthe levers together. The pinsff are then put into the proper holes in the'straps c e, thus preventing the section from again contracting when theprcssure producedl by the levers ceases, or .the earth bears heavily upon the cylinder. I thus introduce successive sections as the well is deepened.

In applying the curbing to old wells, I introduce the sections in the same manner ae above described, curbing the whole well, or so much and such parts of the saine as the case in hand may require.

Claims. What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination and. arrangement of staves A B with iron straps a a, b b b b, and hngejoints c, as

shown in fig. 5, in the manner and for the 'purpose herein describel.

2. The coilbination and arrangement of the straps e e and pinf with the staves A. Brin the manner and for the purpose herein described. .w

JAMES A. SUTHERLAND.

Witnesses:

CHAUNCEY NYE, GEO. L. BEsToR. 

